'Killed for being gay'

Police are hunting a gang of teenagers - including two girls - after a man was beaten to death apparently for being gay.

It happened near Hungerford Bridge early on Saturday. Mr Morley was walking home from the Heaven nightclub with a 29-year-old friend when they were confronted by the gang of at least four. It also included two teenage boys - one white and one black.

Today it emerged that Mr Morley was a survivor of the 1999 nail bombing at the Admiral Duncan gay pub in Soho.

In the weekend attack, Mr Morley was subjected to a "savage beating" suffering at least 40 bruises. He was taken to St Thomas' Hospital, where he died as a result of multiple injuries to his head and torso. His friend suffered minor injuries.

Police today said the youths may have been targeting homosexual clubbers, seeking people leaving Heaven, a leading gay club at Charing Cross.

According to detectives, several other victims said they believed their sexuality was the reason for the attacks. Robbery was also a motive as at least two of the victims had property stolen.

The gang struck at least four times in barely a quarter of an hour and the ferocity of their attacks horrified detectives. Using fists, feet and any weapon they could lay their hands on they went from one victim to another, escaping shortly before police flooded the area.

Mr Morley, known to friends as " Cinders", worked at the Birdcage pub in Chiswick and had been living with colleagues in rooms above the bar. Managers there today declined to comment on his death.

He was behind the bar at the Admiral Duncan when it was nail-bombed in 1999, escaping with minor burns to his hands. Three people were killed and 73 injured when fascist nail-bomber David Copeland attacked the pub in April 1999, weeks after hitting racist targets in Brick Lane and Brixton.

Mr Morley left the Admiral Duncan last December. A former colleague at the pub said today: "That he survived the bomb and now he's gone like this is absolutely dreadful."

A regular at the pub added: "To survive the bombing, and then for this to happen - it's unbelievable. He was a wonderful man - such a warm, friendly person, he really didn't have a bad word to say about anyone. He was such a wellknown figure on the scene here, he will be sorely missed."

Another customer said: "There's a real feeling of sadness and shock among all the regulars here. We've lost such a good friend. He was full of laughter, everyone here was so fond of him. It's just so cruel."

The attack on Mr Morley followed two other assaults between Hungerford Bridge and nearby Jubilee Gardens which police have linked with his murder.

Moments before confronting the barman, the youths assaulted two men aged 29 and 25. Both men received minor injuries but did not go to hospital.

Ten minutes earlier a 35-year-old man was attacked as he sat on a bench in Jubilee Gardens. The gang approached him and hit him over the head with a bottle. He was taken to hospital and released after treatment.

Witnesses also saw a young woman punched in the face by the gang on the steps of the bridge, although she has yet to come forward. The gang was then seen fleeing through Jubilee Gardens.

"All the victims were returning home from evenings out. The attacks were violent and random."

He warned that similar incidents could occur if the gang remained at large: "The unprecedented nature of these attacks mean the assailants could strike again and it's important we identify and arrest them as soon as possible."

Police were on the scene 24 hours after the murder and spoke to 70 people for information. No weapons have been found and officers are scouring CCTV footage in the hope that the attackers were caught on camera.

"This is a well-lit area and would have been busy with people returning home from the theatre, restaurants and the city at the time the attacks took place," said DCI Scola.

"We are very keen to talk to anyone who witnessed any of the attacks. Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room in Sutton on 020 8721 4111 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Five years ago two 24-year-old students were set upon by two gangs of youths on the same bridge and thrown into the Thames. Tim Baxter, 25, and friend Gabriel Cornish, 24, were beaten unconscious on the footbridge then lifted over the 4ft rail and thrown into the river. Mr Cornish survived, but Mr Baxter's body was discovered a day later. Six people, aged between 15 and 21, were convicted in April 2000 of murder and attempted murder and jailed for life.